Rory McIlroy crowned Race to Dubai champion for 2024 DP World Tour season and matches Seve Ballesteros' tally
Rory McIlroy has been officially recognized as the Race to Dubai champion for the sixth time, marking his third consecutive win after another steady season on the DP World Tour.
McIlroy came to the DP World Tour Championship leading the season standings by 1,785 points. He secured victory at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic and also achieved four second-place finishes throughout his journey on the DP World Tour.
The 35-year-old secured a share of third place at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship last week, further widening his lead over his nearest rival, Thriston Lawrence. For Lawrence to take the season-long title in Dubai, he must win the tournament while hoping that McIlroy finishes outside the top 11.
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The golfer, who has won on the DP World Tour four times, saw his chances slip away after shooting scores of 73 and 71 in the opening rounds at Jumeirah Golf Estates. Rory McIlroy's title as the Race to Dubai champion was secured when Lawrence finished the tournament at one under par with a closing round of 74, leaving him out of the running for the win.
Rory McIlroy's win of the Harry Vardon Trophy adds to his previous victories in the Race to Dubai in 2012, 2014, 2015, 2022, and 2023. This achievement ties him with Seve Ballesteros, who had the same number of titles during his legendary career. McIlroy, now ranked third in the world, is just two titles away from Colin Montgomerie's incredible record of eight Order of Merit championships.
Emotional McIlroy: 'So Special' To Match Seve
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McIlroy wrapped up his 2024 in a grand manner, clinching two trophies on Sunday. He secured victory at the season finale in Dubai with a final round score of 69, finishing two strokes ahead of Rasmus Hojgaard.
After the match, when asked how it felt to tie with his idol Ballesteros, he was visibly moved.
"That's truly amazing," he remarked, struggling to hold back his tears.
It's no secret how much Seve Ballesteros has influenced European golf and the Ryder Cup players. In our European locker room, we’re surrounded by his quotes, and we even have a shirt from the 1995 Ryder Cup, which was the last one he participated in, hanging up for everyone to see.
"He has had a significant impact on European golf, so it fills me with pride to be mentioned alongside him."
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He mentioned, "I'm ready to go after Colin Montgomerie. I've just claimed my third title in a row, and I've made it a point to adjust my schedule in recent years to focus on the Race to Dubai. I plan to keep that same approach moving forward."
"Next year, I'm planning to go for my seventh and will do my best to catch up with Monty."
McIlroy's Triumph In The Race To Dubai Again
The golfer from Northern Ireland narrowly missed victory by a single stroke at the Dubai Invitational, ending up in a tie for second place with Tommy Fleetwood after making a bogey on the final hole. However, he quickly turned things around the following week, managing to successfully defend his title at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic.
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He continued his quest for a career Grand Slam at The Masters, finishing in a tie for 22nd place while Scottie Scheffler took home the win. McIlroy couldn't maintain his solid start at the PGA Championship and ended the tournament in a tie for 12th.
Rory McIlroy had a great opportunity to break his major championship losing streak at the US Open, but he let a two-shot advantage slip away in the final holes, ultimately placing second to Bryson DeChambeau. He called this experience the "most difficult day" of his 17 years as a professional golfer.
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He didn’t compete again until he defended his title at the Genesis Scottish Open a month later, finishing in a tie for fourth place as Robert MacIntyre took the victory at home. However, he faced an unexpected setback by missing the cut at The Open, shooting rounds of 78 and 75 at Royal Troon.
McIlroy couldn't secure the victory after having a lead in the final round of the Amgen Irish Open, finishing in second place. This was after Rasmus Hojgaard made birdies on four of his last five holes. The week after, McIlroy ended up losing to Billy Horschel in a playoff at the BMW PGA Championship.
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Rory McIlroy had a tied-25th place finish at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, which was the only time this season he didn't place in the top five at a regular DP World Tour event. Prior to that, he secured a tied-third position at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship before ultimately claiming the Race to Dubai title in Dubai.
Will McIlroy Achieve More DP World Tour Success?
McIlroy has won four major championships, which puts him three titles shy of Harry Vardon, two behind Nick Faldo, and just one behind Seve Ballesteros in the quest to become the most successful male golfer from Europe. The former world No. 1 is optimistic about catching up to their achievements and is also aiming to surpass Montgomerie's record for the most Order of Merit titles.
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"I aim to be remembered as the most accomplished European ever," McIlroy stated prior to the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship earlier this month. "Of course, victories in the Race to Dubai will play a part in that, but I also hope to secure more major titles and have a few more Ryder Cups in my future."
"I have a strong desire to achieve this, and I believe it's a realistic goal for the next decade. I'm really proud to be European and to have consistently participated in this tour [DP World Tour]."
When asked about how many Race to Dubai titles he might win, McIlroy expressed his thoughts before the season's final event: "I'm really concentrating on taking it one year at a time. Over the past few years, I've made a renewed effort to compete for The Race to Dubai. In previous years, I didn’t participate enough in the DP World Tour to truly put myself in contention."
"I’ve been putting in a lot of effort to refocus on what truly matters to me. It feels significant to invest my energy in this. Of course, one of my objectives is to match or even exceed Monty's record of eight."
Catch Rory McIlroy competing on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour by tuning in to Sky Sports Golf. You can either subscribe to Sky Sports or watch the DP World Tour and other events via NOW.
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